The Coolest School in America: How Small Learning Communities Are Changing Everything

by Ron Newell (Primary Contributor), Doug Thomas (Editor), Walter Enloe (Editor)

Imagine a school with no classrooms, bells, or textbooks where students work at their own pace, are not graded, and are able to decide what to study. Have you ever heard of a school where teachers have control of the learning program, the hiring and retention of personnel, and are responsible for the success of the school? This book, based on a little school in a rural town of Minnesota, describes the creation of and development of learning communities that are changing the conversation about what schools can be and do. The book is divided into three the founding of the Minnesota New Country School, a world renowned small learning community that created a student and teacher ownership model that is being replicated, collected essays by extended community members, contributing consultants, and interested parties that have been influenced by and have influenced the development of new learning communities based on the model, results from some of the learning communities. For teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, or any educator interested in taking reform to another level.

174 pages, Paperback

First published December 17, 2004

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Project-based learning, small learning communities, and democratic circles are inspiring approaches to school reform. I attended the Edvisions Summer Institute and I am motivated to implement PBL (at some level on the continuum) into my classroom.

[Bill Seitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent profile of a school with projects instead of classes. See more of my notes: http://webseitz.fluxent.com/wiki/Cool...